


a little bit too much

by amyanom



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Basketball, Character Study, Light Angst, M/M, analogies, highschool
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:01:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27383116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amyanom/pseuds/amyanom
Summary: mark loved xuxi a little bit too much to not know what was about to happen
Relationships: Mark Lee & Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas, Mark Lee/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas
Comments: 1
Kudos: 31





	a little bit too much

**Author's Note:**

> laps lock, excessive use of em-dash (which is probably incorrect), and, repetition of the title as well , just want to let y'all know.
> 
> happy reading !

mark knew a little bit too much about everybody he’d met, it wasn’t his fault that people talk about their deepest, darkest secrets even when he was around, he was just—there. he was the usual average kid, a little more to the quiet side. at some point in his life, he joined the newspaper club, he didn’t really enjoy it except for the time where he had to interview their school’s basketball team.

“and jaehyun, what motivates you to keep playing?” mark asked, waiting for the other’s response so he can jot down notes.

mark picked this topic for their school’s newspaper since he knew a little bit too much about basketball — he watched kuroko’s basketball when he was young — and since  _ he _ was here.

he stole glances at the tall boy wearing a jersey with the number 20 on the back —  _ huang. _

“i just hate losing,” jaehyun said, which made mark’s eyes dart back to him.

“sorry, what?”

“i said i hate losing,” jaehyun said with a scoff. “now that i said it again, it feels kinda silly. can’t you just make a reason up?”

mark nodded, reality still in trance. his hand jotted down his thoughts — _ make one up _ .

  
  


“hi, i’m mark,” he introduced. “i’m here for the neo’s paper latest issue, i was just wondering if i can interview you-”

“i thought that’s only for MVPs?” his deep voice made mark’s heart race. 

“we just wanted to be more inclusive, it’s a team sport anyway,” mark said, hoping his bullshit can make it’s way right in.

“well then, sure!” he said. “go on, ask away.”

mark fumbled his notepad and pen, looking for a blank space to write his answers down.

“full name?” he asked, voice cracking.

he heard him scoff before answering—hot.

“xuxi, huang xuxi.”

“nice,” mark unconsciously said. “uh, how do you feel about this match?” he continued.

“it was nice, challenging but worth it,” xuxi answered.

mark nodded in response. “uhm, what are your plans for the finals?” he asked once more, voice reaching another octave at the end. mark knew about basketball, but not their school’s place in it. he only paid attention to number 20.

“to win, of course,” xuxi said. “maybe make some friends too.”

mark smiled timidly, his head was bent close to the notepad and he was too conscious to move, thinking that xuxi might see a bad angle.

“and xuxi, what motivates you to keep playing?” he said, slowly lifting his head up to see him think.

“hm, i dunno. maybe i just want to keep trying a little bit too much every next game.”

mark smiled at his answer, and what he said stuck to him for years. it was what defined him, an oxymoron — he inferred.

“lastly, what’s your number?” mark asked, even if he knew.

“here, i’ll type it,” he said, reaching for mark’s phone.

“i meant, uh, your jersey number?” mark replied, cheek’s heating up — it wasn’t even his mistake. 

“oh,” xuxi said, a milli-second of shock plastered on his face before he flashed a toothy grin, “i’ll text it to you then.”

  
  


mark hid under his covers, it was past midnight on a school day, and his inhibitions were asleep and his thumbs rapidly tapped his screen.

‘i mostly listen to just pop music, nothing particular,’ xuxi said.

‘really? that’s cool!’ mark replied — he couldn’t think of anything else to reply since he knew what xuxi really listened to —  _ broadway theatre musical, _ but, mark wouldn’t bring that up, even if it was in his spotify profile. 

  
  


it wasn’t long until the two of them started to date, mark felt magical but nothing else. inside him felt like glitter and pixie dust, piling up in his throat—coughing out shimmer, it wasn’t what he expected, given that it was his first time having a boyfriend, he didn’t really expect anything.

xuxi was fine, they were fine, it was just — _ too _ fine. he worried that something will happen soon, and he hated that he couldn’t enjoy what they had. something will happen soon —  _ and he’ll be the one that causes it. _

he had been feeling restless since they dated, different from the sleepless nights were they texted, the weekends where they face-timed the whole 48 hours. for mark, it felt like a bucket list, something he anticipated, and when he crossed it off, it felt silly—looking at a crossed out phrase that meant something great to you at some point.

  
  


mark knew a little bit too much about everybody for him not to notice that xuxi felt the same way too. he often wondered if he was a checklist rather than a bucket list for him. in fact, he knew the answer.

he sat in xuxi’s passenger seat as he patiently waited for him to buy something from 7/11. they were on their way to celebrate their 1st monthsary, mark didn’t look forward to it, instead, he tried to remember every single detail of xuxi.

to mark, huang xuxi smelled like cars in summer, the distinct scent of familiarity and irritation, burning rubber and blasted a/c. he was the scorching leather seatbelt that was mandatory, yet at the end of the day, you have to get rid off. he also felt like summer, one he looked forward to and can’t let go, the bearer of pain and security, the good and bad memories that you just summarize to a word you never meant — _the_ _best._


End file.
